Film Sound

Sound can either be diegetic or non-diegetic.

Diegetic is when the sound exists within the world of the film for example a song from a jukebox in the scene or characters dialogue.

Non-diegetic is when the sound emerges from outside the world of the film for example the film soundtracks.

Diegetic sound is any sound we would expect to hear if we were part of the narrative world, footsteps, doors opening and closing etc.

Diegetic sound can be subdivided into:

Dialogue- speech

Sound effects- footsteps, doors closing, gun shots etc.

Ambient sound- background noise, distant chatter, wind, traffic etc.

Non-diegetic sound is sound which has been added to support the mood and atmosphere that the filmmaker is trying to convey. This is usually in the form of added music for example ominous music that signals the approach of the shark in Jaws.

Non-diegetic sound is usually used to support what is going on in the narrative (parallel) although sometimes non-diegetic sound is used which contrasts the images (contrapuntal).

Contrapuntal music juxtaposes the sound with the images on screen for example in clockwork orange the classical music contrasts with the violence.

Film sound can also either be synchronous or asynchronous

Synchronous is when the sound is caused by an event on screen so that sound produced matches the action e.g. punches, smash of windows.

Asynchronous is when the sound is separate form the visuals e.g. a voiceover or dialogue from another scene.

We also learnt about the use of sound bridge.

This is when music connects two scenes carrying on from one scene onto the other.

A sound bridge can start off diegetic and become non-diegetic and vice versa.

Four main areas of meaning that can be generated through sound (diegetic and non-diegetic) are:
Character – e.g. James Bond, Superman, Jaws.

      Genre – e.g. Western, Horror/Thriller.

      Setting – e.g. Outdoors sounds of birds chirping or simply a lack of sound to symbolise a desolate, isolated place.
      Narrative – e.g. Voiceovers, suspenseful music tells viewers that something is about to happen.

After learning these keywords and terms of film sound we watched an action clip of the film ‘Hanna’ and were asked to list all the possible non-diegetic and diegetic sounds.

There were many diegetic sounds such as speech, footsteps, gunshots, sirens etc. and there were also quite a few non-diegetic sounds such as the soundtrack of the scene, vibrations, beats, added breathing, added air release effect etc.

The sound of non-diegetic music is used in the movie 'Jaws' and this clip from the film demonstrates the famous theme tune as the girl is swimming in the sea. 

Next we were asked the question:

‘How does the sound make us feel towards the character of Hanna?’

My answer is as follows:

 There are many sounds used in the short clip of ‘Hanna’ shown.

 Firstly there was use of diegetic sounds such as footsteps and shutting doors, which set a tense atmosphere at the start of the scene as these sounds were amplified. The use of speech was diegetic and the line of, ‘You’re in a safe place, Hanna’ is ironic as the girl is shut up in a cell, safe and secure, so she will not escape, as she is an obvious danger.

 There was also use of non-diegetic sounds such as the backtrack of vibrations and beats which were mixed with the added amplified sounds of Hanna’s breathing and the synchronous sound of bulbs flickering on which created a rhythmic soundtrack and intensified the atmosphere of the scene. The backtrack seemed to represent the girls heartbeat which kept the scene travelling at a continuous high pace. When Hanna reached the end of a tunnel and came to a trapped door there was a sound of air release, which represented her escape creating a sense of relief, and therefore diminished the previously constant sound of the symbolic heartbeat. 

Part of the clip we saw is shown below: